Lk 12: 39-48

But know this: if the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour.”

Peter said, “Lord, are you telling this parable for us or for everyone?” And the Lord said, “Who then is the faithful and prudent manager whom his master will put in charge of his slaves, to give them their allowance of food at the proper time? Blessed is that slave whom his master will find at work when he arrives. Truly I tell you, he will put that one in charge of all his possessions.

But if that slave says to himself, ‘My master is delayed in coming,’ and if he begins to beat the other slaves, men and women, and to eat and drink and get drunk, the master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour that he does not know, and will cut him in pieces, and put him with the unfaithful. That slave who knew what his master wanted, but did not prepare himself or do what was wanted, will receive a severe beating. But the one who did not know and did what deserved a beating will receive a light beating.

From everyone to whom much has been given, much will be required; and from the one to whom much has been entrusted, even more will be demanded.

Generous Giving

“Much will be required of the person entrusted with much.” This line from Luke’s Gospel reminds me of a pastor who, whenever there was a special collection, would say, “If you have a lot, give a lot. If you have little, give what you can.” I’ve try to make this a motto to live by. I try to give generously, remembering that all I have is a gift from God.

The one area where I have difficulty being generous is giving of my time. My time seems more valuable to me than money and I never seem to have enough. My job, my family, my friends, all compete for this limited resource. Discerning how to best use my time and serve others is a constant struggle. It takes constant prayer to make the right decision.

Will you let God set the priorities over your time and all the gifts you have been given? God has given you much; what will you give back to God?

—Margaret Horner earned a Master of Pastoral Studies degree from St. Francis de Sales Seminary. She currently serves as the Director of Liturgy at Gesu Parish, Milwaukee, WI.

St. Ignatius’s First Principle and Foundation says “The goal of our life is to live with God forever. God, who loves us, gave us life. Our own response of love allows God's life to flow into us without limit.” One of the ways in which we respond to the love God has given us is through prayer, not only personal prayer but community prayer as well.
The Pastoral Ministry Center invites members of our Strake Jesuit Community to share their prayers with us: their concerns, joys, thanksgivings, so that we may walk with them in all these times of their lives.

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Lk 12: 39-48

But know this: if the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour.”

Peter said, “Lord, are you telling this parable for us or for everyone?” And the Lord said, “Who then is the faithful and prudent manager whom his master will put in charge of his slaves, to give them their allowance of food at the proper time? Blessed is that slave whom his master will find at work when he arrives. Truly I tell you, he will put that one in charge of all his possessions.

But if that slave says to himself, ‘My master is delayed in coming,’ and if he begins to beat the other slaves, men and women, and to eat and drink and get drunk, the master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour that he does not know, and will cut him in pieces, and put him with the unfaithful. That slave who knew what his master wanted, but did not prepare himself or do what was wanted, will receive a severe beating. But the one who did not know and did what deserved a beating will receive a light beating.

From everyone to whom much has been given, much will be required; and from the one to whom much has been entrusted, even more will be demanded.

Generous Giving

“Much will be required of the person entrusted with much.” This line from Luke’s Gospel reminds me of a pastor who, whenever there was a special collection, would say, “If you have a lot, give a lot. If you have little, give what you can.” I’ve try to make this a motto to live by. I try to give generously, remembering that all I have is a gift from God.

The one area where I have difficulty being generous is giving of my time. My time seems more valuable to me than money and I never seem to have enough. My job, my family, my friends, all compete for this limited resource. Discerning how to best use my time and serve others is a constant struggle. It takes constant prayer to make the right decision.

Will you let God set the priorities over your time and all the gifts you have been given? God has given you much; what will you give back to God?

—Margaret Horner earned a Master of Pastoral Studies degree from St. Francis de Sales Seminary. She currently serves as the Director of Liturgy at Gesu Parish, Milwaukee, WI.